PhD Public Policy at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Programme overview

UNC Public Policy offers the Ph.D. degree to students who aim to contribute new knowledge and address major domestic and global policy challenges. The Ph.D. in public policy combines core foundations in theory, empirical and normative analysis, and a policy field area. The core curriculum is designed to help each doctoral student develop and use appropriate theoretical and analytical approaches to address problems in policy areas such as education and labor markets; environment and human welfare; social policy and inequality; health policy, bioethics, and human rights; international development policy; and global conflict and cooperation.

Faculty: The Graduate School | Department: Public Policy | Duration: Students normally spend two years in full-time course work, and somewhat longer if they enter the program without key prerequisite courses or a master's degree in a related field. | Study mode: full-time | Location: Chapel Hill, NC, United States

What you will study

Doctoral students are required to complete 47 hours of coursework, including 29 hours in core courses common to all students and 18 hours in a self-defined policy field. For students choosing to exit with the M.A., the 30 credit hours will be earned through core and elective courses, generally completed in the student's first two years in the program.

Career pathways

Other topics on labor markets in the United States include policies that impact working families, tax policies, self-employment, professional/occupational licensing, and the link between higher education and the labor market. (Related faculty: Alinor, Davis, Gitterman, Goldsmith, Handa, Hemelt, Lauen, Moulton, Najam)

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Graduate School minimum (applies to all graduate programmes): a four-year bachelor's degree (or international equivalent) from an accredited institution completed before graduate study begins and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B) or better; application via the Graduate School online application with transcripts, three recommendation letters, statement of purpose and CV, plus any programme-specific tests/materials; international applicants add a TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English Test score; admission decisions are made by each programme. Programme-specific: Students take graduate M.P.P. courses in the spring semester of their senior year as they complete their undergraduate degree. To apply to the dual bachelor's-graduate degree (M.P.P.) applicants must be currently enrolled undergraduate students at UNC–Chapel Hill. Admitted students will begin enrolling in graduate M.P.P. courses the spring of their senior year as they complete their undergraduate degree.

Tuition is charged per credit, so the total depends on the modules you register for each year. Current fees are listed in the official fee schedule.

Graduate applicants apply for a start term; fall is the main start term. Very few programmes admit new students for spring or summer terms.

Graduate applications and payment must be received by the deadline of the academic programme applied to, which varies by programme; the application closes at 11:59pm Eastern Time on the deadline date. The Graduate School recommends complete applications by December 15, 2026 for full fellowship consideration.

Apply through the official page: https://gradschool.unc.edu/admissions/instructions/

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